Reunion Ready! Two weeks after her injections!

In this day and age it is no longer just about losing that extra ten pounds you put on or buying a fabulous dress, or telling your spouse to be on his best behavior. It’s also about making your face as young looking as possible. And with injectables such as BOTOX®, Restylane®, Perlane®, and Radiesse®, Boston facial injectable expert, Dr. Richard A. Moss, can help most patients who want a fresher, younger appearance.

Carla Moss was delighted that their high school reunion patient had called for an appointment two weeks in advance. “This is the ideal time to be injecting a patient for an important event. BOTOX® takes four to fourteen days to take effect. And while the results of facial fillers such as Restylane®, Perlane®, and Radiesse® are apparent immediately, two weeks provides a very secure window for all bruising to disappear. Most patients find that the bruising from the facial fillers is gone within a few days, but occasionally there can be a pesky small bruise that takes its time to totally disappear. And with a very important event, we want no signs of bruising. BOTOX® does not usually cause any bruising, but again there can be that occasional patient who ends up with a small bruise from her BOTOX® injection.

Forehead Before	Forehead After
Brow Before	Brow After
Crows Feet Before	Crows Feet After
Platysma Before	Platysma After
Nasolabial Folds Before	Nasolabial Folds After

One thing patients will find when they obtain their services from a plastic surgeon who has as much expertise as Dr. Moss has is that results are not over promised and complications such as bruising are not unrealistically minimized. “We want to provide realistic expectations both in the area of results and healing. While there is virtually no down time with facial injections such as BOTOX® and Restylane® it is important that patients understand what they might have for bruising. That way they can schedule their treatments so that they fit into their busy schedule,” states Dr. Moss.

If you are interested in a fresher appearance give Dr. Moss’ office a call at 508-747-1322 or 781-337-2421 to schedule a consultation. You can have your treatment on the same day as your consultation if you so desire or come back at a later date for treatment.

The quality/condition of your skin is one of the most important factors in your appearance. If your skin looks refreshed and is not flawed by blemishes you look more beautiful. A face that is not marred by deep wrinkles and frown lines is more attractive and therefore more inviting to friends and strangers. Today’s plastic surgeons now have far more in their armamentarium to help you improve the quality of your skin and your facial appearance, than they did a decade ago.

The first step in improving the quality of your skin is to determine “what bothers you about your skin” or how you feel about your facial appearance. Once you have determined what it is you want to improve about your appearance, the next step is determining what your choices are for these improvements or corrections. It is only after a patient is presented her/his choices can she/he make a reasonable informed decision to proceed with treatment.

Sometimes a prospective patient can determine what treatments are most beneficial for them, simply by surfing the web and visiting informative websites. Sometimes an e-mail to a plastic surgeon via their website can provide more specific information. Dr. Moss has tried to present all clinical information on his website: www.drmossthebeautyboss.com, in such a way that it is meaningful to viewers. His e-mails are also answered within days, usually by the next business day.

Another source of information is the doctor’s staff. At Dr. Moss’ office, the phones are staffed in such a way that in most cases there is someone who can take a few minutes to answer your questions and point you in the right direction. However, all prospective patients should realize that ultimately a consultation with an appropriate board certified physician needs to take place, before any medical/surgical treatment can be provided.

So you’re interested in improving the quality of your skin. One of the treatments that Dr. Moss offers is a “lunchtime” Vitalize Peel. This peel can improve the quality of your skin by causing it to exfoliate over a period of a few days. This is a peel that does not hurt, has little or no downtime, yet does truly exfoliate the epidermis. This peel can help with fine lines, with reduction of hyper-pigmentation (requires repeated peels), improve the texture of your skin, and provide a more youthful appearance to your skin.

The following is a description of the benefits of the Vitalize Peel, provided by SkinMedica™:

BENEFITS:
• Very superficial peel requires little to no downtime for the patient
• The only superficial peel suitable for all skin types I-VI
• Self-neutralizing formula is easy to use
• Special formulation includes a unique blend of peeling agents: alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, resorcinol, and retinoic acid (obtained by physician)
• Results are predictable and noticeable after just one peel
• Dramatic results are seen after a series of peels

Carla preparing the Vitalize Peel™ set up. There are three steps to this peel.

• Cleansing with acetone
• Application of Lactic acid, Resorcinol, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, & Saponins
• Application of Retinoic Acid

It is also important that patients understand what a Vitalize Peel does not do. A Vitalize Peel does not erase the deep forehead or brow lines. For that you need BOTOX® treatments. It does not erase the lines between the nose and mouth, referred to as the nasolabial folds. For this you need “filler” injections of Restylane® or Radiesse™. Dr. Moss’ website and this blog have pages that provide extensive information on BOTOX®, Restylane® and Radiesse™.

Dr. Moss performs all Vitalize Peels himself. The peel itself takes between 5-10 minutes and causes the patient minimal to no discomfort at all. No pain medication (including Tylenol) should be needed. During the peel your skin may feel warm and you will be provided with a fan to cool your face.

You should avoid direct exposure to the sun for extended periods of time for the first week or two, after your peel. During the first two weeks post peel, you should also avoid other activities that would aggravate your skin such as exfoliation or waxing.

Post peel you will be instructed to use a Sensitive Skin Cleanser, a moisturizer, (Rejuvenative or Ultra Sheer, depending on your skin type) and Daily Sun Protection SPF 20, liberally on your face. Patients with a tendency towards dry skin will use the Rejuvenative Moisturizer. Patients with a leaning towards oily skin will use the Ultra Sheer Moisturizer. All of these products are provided by SkinMedica™, the manufacturer of the Vitalize Peel™. These products will help moisturize your skin, while it is exfoliating. Using these products liberally will help conceal the peeling by matting down the exfoliating skin. For the patient’s convenience, these products are stocked in Dr. Moss’ office and will be obtained on the day of your peel.

Below you will find some information from SkinMedica™ about the post peel products:

SENSITIVE SKIN CLEANSER

BENEFITS:
• Thoroughly removes makeup and excess oil as it neutralizes environmental pollutants
• Specially formulated with anti-irritants to protect highly sensitive or inflamed skin
• Cleanses gently while providing hydration for sensitive, post-procedure skin

ULTRA SHEER MOISTURIZER

BENEFITS:
• Hydrates and restores skin with antioxidants
• Protects against environmental aggressors
• Conditions and firms the skin

REJUVENATIVE MOISTURIZER

BENEFITS:
• Provides protection against environmental aggressors that contribute to aging
• Reduces the signs of aging
• Nourishes and hydrates skin

DAILY SUN PROTECTION SPF 20

BENEFITS:
• Provides full-spectrum UVA and UVB, SPF 20, anti-aging sunscreen protection
• Infuses skin with excellent moisturization in an oil-free formulation
• Contains powerful antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E for anti-aging defense

What can you expect to look like while your skin is exfoliating?

As you can see this peel really is effective and you do exfoliate. This picture shows Carla, Dr. Moss’ wife at 2 days after her Vitalize Peel™. To make the exfoliation more apparent photographically, Carla has not applied any moisturizer in order to demonstrate the exfoliation. You should wear liberal amounts of moisturizer to both mask the exfoliation and to help moisturize your skin.

You will not peel or exfoliate the day of the peel or the next day. However, two days after the application of the peel you will exfoliate in the lower ⅓ of your face. The day after that you will exfoliate in the center ⅓ of your face and the day after that your forehead will exfoliate. While there will be no discomfort associated with this exfoliation, you will look a little “messy” for a few days. However, most patients will not miss work during the exfoliation period. Some patients will have their peel applied so that most of the exfoliation occurs over the weekend.

Dr. Moss has received many complements on the Vitalize Peel™. He has had comments from aestheticians that this is the “best” peel that they have ever had. Others have commented on how much improvement they have received from this peel. This is an excellent alternative to micro-dermabrasion, and patients who have had glycolic peels may want to step up to a Vitalize Peel™. Many clinicians consider the Vitalize Peel™ to be a more effective peel than the glycolic peel.

Some patients will have a series of 5-6 peels, while others will have one every 3-6 months. Carla Moss, Dr. Moss’ wife will have one every 3-6 months. One of the biggest benefits that she found to having the Vitalize Peel™ is that it virtually eliminated the occasional acne breakouts. Having dry skin and pimples at 50 years of age is no fun. It is surprising how many women have this problem. The Vitalize Peel™ is very effective for reducing or eliminating this problem.

Another group of patients that love the results of the Vitalize Peel™ are the ones who sunbathe and damage their skin. This is a great refresher for these patients. The Vitalize Peel™ will also help diminish some of the brown spots that many of these patients also have.

When questioned about skin care, Dr. Moss replies, “I am looking to help my patients improve the appearance of their skin. I am a board certified plastic surgeon that practices cosmetic surgery exclusively. Many of my patients, especially my injectable patients, (BOTOX®, Restylane® and Radiesse™), are looking for treatments and products to make their skin look healthier and have a nice glow. I feel that the SkinMedica™ line, including the Vitalize Peel™ allows me to provide this service to my patients. Since I am already fully trained and credentialed to perform the much stronger phenol peels, laser treatments and dermabrasion, the Vitalize Peel™ was an easy addition to my practice.

What is the cost of a Vitalize Peel™? Dr. Moss charges $125 per peel. The products which are used post-peel and are purchased from Dr. Moss on the day of your peel, cost approximately $100. However, if you call his office, you may find that he is currently running one of his frequent in office specials.

Learn More About Non-Surgical Options in Boston

• Read About Skin Peels in Boston
• Get Information About Cosmetic Injectables in Boston